The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 379

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS .AUTHORS. Vers. 1-15.-~/le separation of the soul from God. Why in the hour of need is there no deliverance? Why are prayers for aid unanswered? .A theory might obtain, or an objection might be raised, that Divine power was not sufficient, that the Divine sensibility was dulled. And yet this cannot be. The simplest knowledge of what God is must contradict an assumption so foolish. There must be another explanation; and that, the conscience says, is to be found on the human side of the relation. I. THE CHANNEL OF DIVINE COMMUNICATION CLOSED. Only to the upright does Jehovah show himself upright, only pure to the pure. There is a state of the soul in which men see God, because bis face is therein reflected ; but those addressed have long been "belying their professions by their acts, and thus precluding an answer to their prayers" (eh. lviii. 2-4). The face is "the self-manifestiog side of the Divine nature" (cf. eh. lxiii. 9; i. 12; xl. 10). Where that is not given, there must be dark- ness in the mind, and bitterness in the heart. II. SINFUL OBSTACLES TO BE REMOVED. The defilement of the hands. With the guilt of blood. But probably this stands, by a strong figure, for sin in general. The lips are lying, and the tongue depraved. Here the organs of the body, ministers of the mind, express and set forth the state of the latter. There is a certain correspondence between cleanliness of the person and truthfulness and honesty of the soul. And it is just this which is wanting. Society is resting on a foundation of chaos. Men weave their schemes, vain and brittle as spiders' webs, or hatch policies pernicious as the eggs of basilisks. They tread with swiftness the paths of mischief; their though ta are full of hate and destruction. They ignore the way of peace and the track of justice, and follow crooked paths of their own (Prov. x. 9; uviii. 18 ; ii. 15). It is a picture of extreme social demoralization. ill. PENITENCE AND CONFESSION OF ems. The prophet speaks in the name of the people. And here all the true elements of repentance and confession may be found. 1. The connection of sin with Divine di'sfavour. 'l'he first thing is to see that the curse does not "causeless come;" the next to fix upon the true cause. It is not because of want of will or want of power in God (ver. 12). They were entitled to expect bis help, according to the covenant, but not apart from conditions on their siile to be fulfilled. If, then, the judicial interference of Jehovah on their behalf was not ,vituessed, the cause must lie in the breach of those conditions-in " our sins." 2. Human darkness and bewilderment without God. "Jehovah shall be thy Light and thy Salvation." That light withdrawo,-wbat can there be groping and stumbling in the thick darkness? (Dent. xxviii. 29). How extreme the contrast of the "way which Jehovah knows," of the "path of the just, shining to the perfect day;" and the "knowing not whither he goeth," the "staggering as at noonday," the groping and stumbling of the man God- abandoned and left to himself. 3. Human sorrow and despair withuut God. Compared to the growling or moaning of beast or bird. Meo long to have their own will and way, and find that to be "lords of themselves" is a "heritage of woe." Sooner or later they must find that their passionate autonomy means "rebellion" before God and in their own consciousness. .A.nd peace cannot be where they know that they are thus "kicking against the goads." The passage strongly shows how a violated conscience must be a tormenting conscience. God will not let us sin and forget. ".A.s for our iniquities, we know them." 4. Human shame and self-contempt without God. It is contempt that "pierces through the shell of the tortoise;" above all, one's own con- tempt. The worst is when we look into the mirror held up, not by hand of enemy or critic, but by our own, and see the lineaments of the traitor, the expre~sion of the infidel at heart, the base attitude of the deserter and backslider from the Holy One, the downcast mien of the convicted liar. There has been no truth, no rectitude, no justice. These, as fair spirits, have been banished from a polluted earth. And if one would live an innocent life, he is but game for any rude spoiler. In all this there is the deepest sense of the evil of sin, and of the need of humiliation. It is felt that humilia- tion cannot remove the evil, unless it first remove the sin. Misery is the natural effect of iniquity; and he that seeks to rid himself of the one before he is freed from t ho other would hinder the strenm before he has stopped the fountain. ."'Rend your  392 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [oa. Lrx.1-21.